THE GOVERNMENT is under increasing pressure to raise maternity pay and give working mothers a "genuine choice" about whether to stay at home or return to work.

The Maternity Alliance, a national charity, said many mothers felt forced to go back to work rather than stay at home with their children because of their financial situation. It also said parents in other European countries appeared to get a much better deal on maternity pay and leave.

In the UK, new mothers get six weeks Statutory Maternity Pay at 90% of their average earnings followed by 20 weeks at £100 a week.

An extra 26 weeks of maternity leave can be taken but this is unpaid, while fathers get paternity pay of £100 a week for two weeks.

Poorly

This compares poorly with Sweden where parents are entitled to 13 months leave at 80% of their earnings which can be taken until the child's eighth birthday.

And in Norway, every family is entitled to 52 weeks of leave at 80% of their earnings or 42 weeks at 100% of their pay.

Liz Kendall, director of the Maternity Alliance, said: "The early years of a child's life are very important and it's right that this issue is now at the top of the political agenda.

"But the Government must recognise that what many mothers want, particularly when their children are under one, is to have the choice to stay at home and not be in paid employment."

Ms Kendall said the situation meant genuine choices over whether to return to work or not was only available to mothers who could afford them.

"Parents in other countries get a much better deal than those in the UK.

"We need to move towards a European system with better paid maternity leave followed by paid parental leave, part of which could be reserved for fathers to support them and taken on a greater role," she added.

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